£1 million support helps fund Amble RNLI lifesaver
A new volunteer crew member at Amble RNLI lifeboat station has had a vital part of their crew training funded by The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust (The LRET).
Alan Stewart, 48, from Amble, recently travelled to the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset, to complete the charity’s Trainee Crew Course.
A key part of that course is the sea survival element, which enables new volunteer crew to be trained in a variety of crucial subjects including how to ‘abandon ship’ with a 4m jump into water, team survival swimming and coping in a life raft in simulated darkness, how to deal with fires aboard lifeboats, how to right a capsized inshore lifeboat, and the importance of lifejackets.
Training took place in the Sea Survival Centre at the college in Poole, which includes a wave tank and a fire-fighting simulator, allowing trainees to experience first-hand some of the scenarios they may encounter at sea as lifeboat crew.
Alan, who volunteers as an all-weather lifeboat crew member when he is not performing his duties as a Paramedic, said of the training: ‘I was really enthusiastic about attending the course as I knew it would equip me with the training and skills necessary for my role in the crew. Once there, I was amazed at how in-depth and realistic all of the survival techniques and scenarios were. As a result, I feel much more prepared and confident when going to sea in difficult conditions now.’
Alan was inspired to join up as a volunteer crew member because he admired the role of the RNLI in saving lives at sea as well as being a voluntary organisation, and has already put his initial training to use. He was part of the crew who went out on the lifeboat to attend a stranded yacht in Amble Harbour at the Station’s annual Lifeboat Day recently.
On Sunday, 16 December, the Mayor of Amble, Cllr Ian Hinson, presented a cheque for £460 to Steve Isaacs (Chairman of Amble lifeboat Fundraisers).
The cheque was made up of a grant of £350 from Amble Town Council and £110 from the proceeds of a raffle held at the Mayor’s recent annual reception, which the Mayor generously donated to the RNLI in Amble.
On receiving the cheque, Steve Isaacs thanked the Mayor, and expressed the appreciation of both the fundraisers and Amble crew for the generous support given by the Town Council and the Mayor.
As a charity, the RNLI relies upon support such as this to fund the training, kit, and boats for their crews.
Pictured above are a few of the Amble Lifeboat Fundraisers in festive outfits, along with the RNLI mascot, Stormy Stan, at the recent Christmas Coffee Morning held at the lifeboat station. The event was the final fundraiser for 2012 and was once again very well supported raising a total of £382.06.
The fundraisers would like to thank all of the visitors who came along and also all the individuals, shops and businesses who have so generously supported us again throughout 2012. We hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas and New Year remembering that the RNLI crews were still on call throughout the Christmas and New Year period.
